Blog - Tree

Tu B’Shevat – The New Year for Trees

Though it occurs in January/February on the Gregorian calendar, Tu
B’Shevat is associated with the start of spring in Israel and is
observed as sort of national Arbor Day. This year starting on the evening of January 24th
and ending on the evening of January 25th (the 15th of
Shevat on the Jewish calendar) Tu B’Shevat will be celebrated around the world.
This “New Years’ for trees is the season in which the earliest-blooming trees
in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new
fruit-bearing cycle. This day is also celebrated as an ecological awareness
day.

There are a few customs or observances related to this
holiday. One custom is to eat a new fruit, particularly from the kinds that are
singled out by the Torah in its praise of the bounty of the Holy Land: grapes,
figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. There is a remembrance that “man is
[compared to] the tree of the field.” Through cultivating strong roots-faith
and commitment-we produce many fruits.

Another wonderful custom that is observed is the planting of
trees on this day and even collecting money to plant trees in Israel. The
strong tie between this celebration and environmental-awareness programs have
helped support tree planting, ecological education and sustainability globally
giving us all reason to celebrate.

Tree In A Box kits offer a great way to celebrate
this year’s Tu B’Shevat. Everything you need to cultivate and plant a new tree
completely grown by you from seed is
contained within our compact box. We like to think that each small box
containing a Tree In A Box makes an enormous impact in our environment that
continuing generations around the world will be able to benefit from your
individual efforts. We also make it easy to customize a seal on the top of the
box to make it that much more of a unique gift to share.